EX-10.1
EUROPEAN WAX CENTER, INC.
2025 Inducement Plan
1.
Purpose. The purpose of the European Wax Center, Inc. 2025 Inducement Plan (as amended from time to time, the “Plan”) is to help European Wax Center, Inc., a Delaware corporation (together with its Subsidiaries, whether existing or thereafter acquired or formed, and any and all successor entities, the “Company”) provide an inducement to secure and retain the services of Eligible Persons (as defined in Section 6) by providing them the opportunity to acquire an equity interest in the Company.
This Plan is intended to meet the requirements of a plan providing for inducement grants under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and the official regulations thereunder (together, the “Inducement Listing Rule”) and shall be administered in accordance with such intent. Each Award under the Plan is intended to qualify as an employment inducement award under the Inducement Listing Rule or to qualify under the exception relating to plans or arrangements relating to an acquisition or merger under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(3) and the official guidance thereunder.
2.
Effective Date; Duration. The effective date of the Plan is March 21, 2025 (the “Effective Date”).
3.
Definitions. The following definitions shall apply throughout the Plan:
(a)
“Administrator” means the Committee, or subcommittee thereof or, if no such committee or subcommittee thereof exists, or if the Board otherwise takes action hereunder on behalf of the Committee, the Board, in all cases subject to the last sentence of Section 4(a).
(b)
“Affiliate” means (i) any person or entity that directly or indirectly controls, is controlled by or is under common control with the Company and/or (ii) to the extent provided by the Administrator, any person or entity in which the Company has a significant interest. The term “control” (including, with correlative meaning, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as applied to any person or entity, means the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of such person or entity, whether through the ownership of voting or other securities, by contract or otherwise.
(c)
“Award” means, individually or collectively, any Nonqualified Stock Option, Stock Appreciation Right, Restricted Stock, Restricted Stock Unit, or Other Stock-Based Award granted under the Plan.
(d)
“Award Agreement” means any agreement (whether in written or electronic form) or other instrument or document evidencing any Award granted under the Plan (including, in each case, in electronic form), which may, but need not, be executed or acknowledged by a Participant (as determined by the Administrator).
(e)
“Beneficial Ownership” has the meaning set forth in Rule 13d-3 promulgated under Section 13 of the Exchange Act.
(f)
“Board” means the Board of Directors of the Company.
“Cause” means, the definition set forth in the Participant’s Employment Agreement; provided, that if no Employment Agreement which defines cause is in effect at the time of determination, Cause shall, unless otherwise defined in an Award Agreement, mean the following: (i) the indictment, conviction of, or plea of guilty or nolo contendere by, the Participant to (x) a felony or (y) other crime involving fraud or moral turpitude; (ii) commission of any act of material dishonesty or breach of trust or any act constituting fraud, embezzlement, theft, the misappropriation or misuse of funds, money, assets or other property of the Company or its Affiliates, customers or suppliers by the Participant; (iii) the attempt to obtain any personal benefit from any transaction in which the Participant has an interest not disclosed to the Administrator which is adverse to the interests of the Company or its Affiliates; (iv) reporting to work under the influence of alcohol or illegal drugs or repeatedly using alcohol to the point of intoxication or illegal drugs, whether or not at the workplace; (v) failure or refusal to perform duties, or gross negligence in the performance of Participant’s duties and responsibilities, as reasonably directed by any member of the Company or its Affiliates, other than as a result of a disability or other approved absence, which (if capable of cure) is not cured to the Administrator’s reasonable satisfaction within 10 calendar days after written notice thereof to the Participant; (vi) violations of the rules, regulations, procedures, policies or instructions (whether written or oral) relating to the conduct of employees, directors, managers and/or consultants of the Company or its Affiliates which (if capable of cure) is not cured to the Administrator’s reasonable satisfaction within 10 calendar days after written notice thereof to the Participant; (vii) any act or omission to act of Participant that is reasonably likely to materially harm or damage the business, property, operations, financial condition or reputation of the Company or any of its Affiliates; (viii) breach of any noncompetition, nondisclosure or nonsolicitation covenant in any agreement with the Company or its Affiliates; (ix) improperly or illegally aiding or abetting a competitor, supplier or customer of the Company or its Affiliates to the disadvantage or detriment of the Company or its Affiliates; (x) the Participant’s material breach of any written employment or services agreement which (if capable of cure) is not cured to the Administrator’s reasonable satisfaction within 10 calendar days after written notice thereof to the Participant; or (xi) any breach of fiduciary duty, gross negligence or misconduct with respect to the Company or its Affiliates which (if capable of cure) is not cured to the Administrator’s reasonable satisfaction within 10 calendar days after written notice thereof to the Participant.
(h)
“Change in Control” means, unless the applicable Award Agreement or the Administrator provides otherwise, the first to occur of any of the following events:
(i)
the acquisition by any Person or related “group” (as such term is used in Section 13(d) and Section 14(d) of the Exchange Act) of Persons, or Persons acting jointly or in concert, of Beneficial Ownership (including control or direction) of 50% or more (on a fully diluted basis) of either (A) the then-outstanding Shares, including Shares issuable upon the exercise of options or warrants, the conversion of convertible stock or debt, and the exercise of any similar right to acquire such Shares or (B) the combined voting power of the then-outstanding voting securities of the Company entitled to vote in the election of Directors (the “Outstanding Company Voting Securities”), but excluding any acquisition by the Company or any of its Affiliates, or the Investor, its Permitted Transferees or any of their respective Affiliates or by any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Company or any of its Affiliates;
(ii)
a change in the composition of the Board such that members of the Board during any consecutive 24-month period (the “Incumbent Directors”) cease to constitute a majority of the Board. Any person becoming a Director through election or nomination for election approved by a valid vote of the Incumbent Directors shall be deemed an Incumbent Director; provided, however, that no individual becoming a Director as a result of an actual or threatened election contest, as such terms are used in Rule 14a-12 of Regulation 14A promulgated under the Exchange Act, or as a result of any other actual or threatened solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of any person other than the Board, shall be deemed an Incumbent Director;
(iv)
the approval by the stockholders of the Company of a plan of complete dissolution or liquidation of the Company; or the consummation of a reorganization, recapitalization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, statutory share exchange or similar form of corporate transaction involving (x) the Company or (y) any of its Subsidiaries, but in the case of this clause (y) only if Outstanding Company Voting Securities are issued or issuable (a “Business Combination”), or sale, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company to an entity that is not an Affiliate of the Company (a “Sale”), unless immediately following such Business Combination or Sale: (A) more than 50% of the total voting power of the entity resulting from such Business Combination or the entity that acquired all or substantially all of the business or assets of the Company in such Sale (in either case, the “Surviving Company”), or the ultimate parent entity that has Beneficial Ownership of sufficient voting power to elect a majority of the board of directors (or analogous governing body) of the Surviving Company (the “Parent Company”), is represented by the Outstanding Company Voting Securities that were outstanding immediately prior to such Business Combination or Sale (or, if applicable, is represented by Shares into which the Outstanding Company Voting Securities were converted pursuant to such Business Combination or Sale), and such voting power among the holders thereof is in substantially the same proportion as the voting power of the Outstanding Company Voting Securities among the holders thereof immediately prior to the Business Combination or Sale, (B) no Person (other than any employee benefit plan sponsored or maintained by the Surviving Company or the Parent Company) is or becomes the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of 50% or more of the total voting power of the outstanding voting securities eligible to elect members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company) and (C) at least a majority of the members of the board of directors (or the analogous governing body) of the Parent Company (or, if there is no Parent Company, the Surviving Company) following the consummation of the Business Combination or Sale were Board members at the time of the Board’s approval of the execution of the initial agreement providing for such Business Combination or Sale.
(i)
“Code” means the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and any successor thereto. References to any section of the Code shall be deemed to include any regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section, and any amendments or successors thereto.
(j)
“Committee” means the Compensation Committee of the Board, which is the independent compensation committee of the Board within the meaning of Rule 5635(c)(4) of the NASDAQ Listing Rules.
(k)
“Common Stock” means the common stock of the Company, par value of $0.00001 per share (and any stock or other securities into which such common stock may be converted or into which it may be exchanged).
(l)
“Company” has the meaning set forth in Section 1 of the Plan.
(m)
“Director” means any member of the Company’s Board.
(n)
“Disability” means, unless otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, a determination that a Participant is disabled in accordance with a long-term disability insurance program maintained by the Company or a determination by the U.S. Social Security Administration that the Participant is totally disabled.
(o)
“dollar” or “$” shall refer to United States dollars.
(p)
“Effective Date” has the meaning set forth in Section 2 of the Plan.
(q)
“Eligible Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 6 of the Plan.
(r)
“Employment Agreement” means any employment, severance or similar agreement (including any offer letter) between the Company or an Affiliate and a Participant.
(s)
“Exchange Act” means the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and any successor thereto. References to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Exchange Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successors thereto.
(t)
“Fair Market Value” means, (i) with respect to a Share on a given date, (x) if the Shares are listed on a national securities exchange, the closing sales price of a Share reported on such exchange on such date or, if there is no such sale on that date, then on the last preceding date on which such a sale was reported or (y) if the Shares are not listed on any national securities exchange, the amount determined by the Administrator in good faith to be the fair market value of a Share or (ii) with respect to any other property on any given date, the amount determined by the Administrator in good faith to be the fair market value of such other property as of such date.
(u)
“Immediate Family Members” has the meaning set forth in Section 14(b)(ii) of the Plan.
(v)
“Intrinsic Value” with respect to an Option or SAR means (i) the excess, if any, of the price or implied price per Share in a Change in Control or other event over (ii) the exercise or hurdle price of such Award multiplied by (iii) the number of Shares covered by such Award.
(w)
“Indemnifiable Person” has the meaning set forth in Section 4(e) of the Plan.
(x)
“Investor” means, collectively, the investment funds managed, sponsored or advised by General Atlantic LLC. A reference to a member of Investor is a reference to any such investment fund.
(y)
“NASDAQ” means Nasdaq Global Market.
(z)
“Nonqualified Stock Option” means an Option that is not qualified as an “incentive stock option” as defined in Section 422 of the Code.
(aa)
“Option” means an Award granted under Section 7 of the Plan.
(bb)
“Option Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 7 of the Plan.
(cc)
“Other Stock-Based Award” means an Award granted under Section 10 of the Plan.
(dd)
“Participant” has the meaning set forth in Section 6 of the Plan.
(ee)
“Performance Conditions” means specific levels of performance of the Company (and/or one or more Affiliates, divisions or operational and/or business units, product lines, brands, business segments, administrative departments, units or any combination of the foregoing), which may be determined in accordance with GAAP or on a non-GAAP basis. The Performance Conditions may include a threshold level of performance below which no payment shall be made (or no vesting shall occur), levels of performance at which specified payments shall be made (or specified vesting shall occur), and a maximum level of performance above which no additional payment shall be made (or at which full vesting shall occur). The Administrator shall have the authority to make equitable adjustments to the Performance Conditions as may be determined by the Administrator, in its sole discretion.
(ff)
“Permitted Transferee” has the meaning set forth in Section 14(b)(ii) of the Plan.
(gg)
“Person” has the meaning given in Section 3(a)(9) of the Exchange Act, as modified and used in Sections 13(d) and 14(d) thereof, except that such term shall not include (i) the Company or any of its Affiliates, (ii) a trustee or other fiduciary holding securities under an employee benefit plan of the Company or any of its Affiliates, (iii) an underwriter temporarily holding securities pursuant to an offering of such securities or (iv) a corporation owned, directly or indirectly, by the stockholders of the Company in substantially the same proportions as their ownership of Shares of the Company.
(hh)
“Released Unit” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(f)(ii) of the Plan.
(ii)
“Restricted Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 9(a) of the Plan.
(jj)
“Restricted Stock” means any Share subject to certain specified restrictions and forfeiture conditions, granted pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.
(kk)
“Restricted Stock Unit” means a contractual right granted pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan that is denominated in Shares. Each Restricted Stock Unit represents an unfunded and unsecured promise to deliver Shares, cash, other securities or other property, or a combination thereof, subject to certain specified restrictions, granted pursuant to Section 9 of the Plan.
(ll)
“SAR Period” has the meaning set forth in Section 8(c) of the Plan.
(mm)
“Securities Act” means the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and any successor thereto. Reference in the Plan to any section of (or rule promulgated under) the Securities Act shall be deemed to include any rules, regulations or other interpretative guidance under such section or rule, and any amendments or successor provisions to such section, rules, regulations or other interpretive guidance.
(nn)
“Share” means a share of Common Stock, par value of $0.00001 per share.
(oo)
“Stock Appreciation Right” or “SAR” means an Award granted under Section 8 of the Plan.
(pp)
“Subsidiary” means (i) any corporation or other entity a majority of whose outstanding voting stock or voting power is beneficially owned directly or indirectly by the Company and (ii) any other entity which the Administrator determines should be treated as a “Subsidiary.”
(a)
Authority of the Administrator. The Administrator shall administer the Plan, and shall have the sole and plenary authority to (i) designate Participants, (ii) determine the type, size, and terms and conditions of Awards to be granted and to grant such Awards, (iii) determine the method by which an Award may be settled, exercised, canceled, forfeited, suspended or repurchased by the Company, (iv) determine the circumstances under which the delivery of cash, property or other amounts payable with respect to an Award may be deferred, either automatically or at the Participant’s or Administrator’s election, (v) interpret, administer, reconcile any inconsistency in, correct any defect in and supply any omission in the Plan and any Award granted under the Plan, (vi) establish, amend, suspend, or waive any rules and regulations and appoint such agents as the Administrator shall deem appropriate for the proper administration of the Plan, (vii) accelerate or modify the vesting, delivery or exercisability of, or payment for or lapse of restrictions on, or waive any condition in respect of, Awards and (viii) make any other determination and take any other action that the Administrator deems necessary or desirable for the administration of the Plan or to comply with any applicable law.
Notwithstanding the foregoing or anything in the Plan to the contrary, the grant of Awards must be approved by the Committee or a majority of the Company’s independent directors (as defined in the Inducement Listing Rule) in order to comply with the Inducement Listing Rule and the term “Administrator” shall be interpreted accordingly.
(b)
International Participants. As further set forth in Section 14(g) of the Plan, the Administrator shall have the authority to amend the Plan and Awards to the extent necessary to permit participation in the Plan by Eligible Persons who are located outside of the United States or are subject to laws outside of the United States on terms and conditions comparable to those afforded to Eligible Persons located within the United States; provided, however, that no such action shall be taken without stockholder approval if such approval is required by applicable securities laws or regulations or NASDAQ listing guidelines.
(c)
Decisions Binding. Unless otherwise expressly provided in the Plan, all designations, determinations, interpretations, and other decisions regarding the Plan or any Award or any documents evidencing Awards granted pursuant to the Plan shall be within the sole discretion of the Administrator, may be made at any time and shall be final, conclusive and binding upon all persons and entities, including, without limitation, the Company, any Affiliate, any Participant, any holder or beneficiary of any Award and any stockholder of the Company.
(d)
Limitation of Liability. No member of the Board or the Administrator, nor any employee or agent of the Company (each such person, an “Indemnifiable Person”), shall be liable for any action taken or omitted to be taken or any determination made with respect to the Plan or any Award hereunder (unless constituting fraud or a willful criminal act or willful criminal omission). Each Indemnifiable Person shall be indemnified and held harmless by the Company against and from any loss, cost, liability or expense (including attorneys’ fees) that may be imposed upon or incurred by such Indemnifiable Person in connection with or resulting from any action, suit or proceeding to which such Indemnifiable Person may be involved as a party, witness or otherwise by reason of any action taken or omitted to be taken or determination made under the Plan or any Award Agreement and against and from any and all amounts paid by such Indemnifiable Person with the Company’s approval (not to be unreasonably withheld), in settlement thereof, or paid by such Indemnifiable Person in satisfaction of any judgment in any such action, suit or proceeding against such Indemnifiable Person, and the Company shall advance to such Indemnifiable Person any such expenses promptly upon written request (which request shall include an undertaking by the Indemnifiable Person to repay the amount of such advance if it shall ultimately be determined as provided below that the Indemnifiable Person is not entitled to be indemnified); provided that the Company shall have the right, at its own expense, to assume and defend any such action, suit or proceeding, and once the Company gives notice of its intent to assume the defense, the Company shall have sole control over such defense with counsel of recognized standing of the Company’s choice. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be available to an Indemnifiable Person to the extent that a final judgment or other final adjudication (in either case not subject to further appeal) binding upon such Indemnifiable Person determines that the acts or omissions or determinations of such Indemnifiable Person giving rise to the indemnification claim resulted from such Indemnifiable Person’s fraud or willful criminal act or willful criminal omission or that such right of indemnification is otherwise prohibited by law or by the Company’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws. The foregoing right of indemnification shall not be exclusive of or otherwise supersede any other rights of indemnification to which such Indemnifiable Persons may be entitled under the Company’s certificate of incorporation or by-laws, as a matter of law, individual indemnification agreement or contract, or otherwise, or any other power that the Company may have to indemnify such Indemnifiable Persons or hold them harmless.
5.
Grant of Awards; Available Shares for Awards; Limitations.
(a)
Awards. The Administrator may grant Awards to one or more Eligible Persons. All Awards granted under the Plan shall vest and, if applicable, become exercisable in such manner and on such date or dates or upon such event or events as determined by the Administrator and as set forth in an Award Agreement, including, without limitation, attainment of Performance Conditions.
(b)
Available Shares. Subject to Section 11 of the Plan and subsection (c) below, the maximum number of Shares available for issuance under the Plan shall not exceed 4,000,000 (the “Share Pool”).
(c)
Share Counting. The Share Pool shall be reduced by the number of Shares delivered for each Award granted under the Plan that is valued by reference to a Share; provided that Awards that are valued by reference to Shares but are required to or may be paid in cash pursuant to their terms shall not reduce the Share Pool. If and to the extent that Awards terminate, expire or are cash settled, canceled, forfeited, exchanged or surrendered without having been exercised, vested or settled, the Shares subject to such Awards shall again be available for Awards under the Share Pool. In addition, any (i) Shares tendered by Participants, or withheld by the Company, as full or partial payment to the Company upon the exercise of Options granted under the Plan; (ii) Shares reserved for issuance upon the grant of Stock Appreciation Rights, to the extent that the number of reserved Shares exceeds the number of Shares actually issued upon the exercise of the Stock Appreciation Rights; and (iii) Shares withheld by, or otherwise remitted to, the Company to satisfy a Participant’s tax withholding obligations upon the exercise of Options or SARs granted under the Plan, or upon the lapse of restrictions on, or settlement of, an Award, shall again be available for Awards under the Share Pool.
(d)
Source of Shares. Shares delivered by the Company in settlement of Awards may be authorized and unissued Shares, Shares held in the treasury of the Company, Shares purchased on the open market or by private purchase, or a combination of the foregoing.
6.
Eligibility. An award under the Plan may only be granted to an individual not previously an employee or director of the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, or to an individual following a bona fide period of non-employment with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries, as an inducement material to the individual’s entering into employment with the Company or any of its Subsidiaries within the meaning of the Inducement Listing Rule (each such individual, an “Eligible Person”). In addition, eligibility for Stock Options and SARs is limited to Eligible Persons who are providing direct services on the date of grant of the Award to the Company or any of its Subsidiaries that would be described in the first sentence of Treasury Regulation Section 1.409A-1(b)(5)(iii)(E). Participation shall be for Eligible Persons who have been selected by the Administrator or its delegate to receive grants under the Plan (each such Eligible Person, a “Participant”).
(a)
Generally. Each Option shall be subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan and in the applicable Award Agreement. All Options granted under the Plan shall be Nonqualified Stock Options.
(b)
Exercise Price. The exercise price per Share for each Option, which is the purchase price per Share underlying the Option, shall be determined by the Administrator at the time of grant and such exercise price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such Option. Any modification to the exercise price of an outstanding Option shall be subject to the prohibition on repricing set forth in Section 13(b).
(c)
Vesting, Exercise and Expiration. The Administrator shall determine the manner and timing of vesting, exercise and expiration of Options. The period between the date of grant and the scheduled expiration date of the Option (“Option Period”) shall not exceed 10 years, unless the Option Period would expire at a time when trading in the Shares is prohibited by the Company’s insider-trading policy or a Company-imposed “blackout period,” in which case, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, the Option Period may be extended automatically until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition (so long as such extension shall not violate Section 409A of the Code) or the Administrator may provide for the automatic exercise of such Option prior to the expiration of the Option Period. The Administrator may accelerate the vesting and/or exercisability of any Option, which acceleration shall not affect any other terms and conditions of such Option.
(d)
Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. No Shares shall be delivered pursuant to any exercise of an Option until the Participant has paid the exercise price to the Company in full, and an amount equal to any applicable U.S. federal, state and local income and employment taxes and non-U.S. income and employment taxes, social contributions and any other tax-related items required to be withheld. Options may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designee (including a third-party administrator) in accordance with the terms of the Option and the Award Agreement, accompanied by payment of the exercise price and such applicable taxes. The exercise price and delivery of all applicable required withholding taxes shall be payable (i) in cash or by check or cash equivalent or (ii) by such other method as the Administrator may permit, in its sole discretion, including without limitation: (A) in the form of other property (including previously owned Shares; provided that such Shares are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) having a Fair Market Value on the date of exercise equal to the exercise price and all applicable required withholding taxes; (B) if there is a public market for the Shares at such time, by means of a broker-assisted “cashless exercise” pursuant to which the Company or its designee (including third-party administrators) is delivered a copy of irrevocable instructions to a stockbroker to sell the Shares otherwise deliverable upon the exercise of the Option and to deliver promptly to the Company an amount equal to the exercise price and all applicable required withholding taxes against delivery of the Shares to settle the applicable trade; or (C) by means of a “net exercise” procedure effected by withholding the minimum number of Shares otherwise deliverable in respect of an Option that are needed to pay for the exercise price and all applicable required withholding taxes. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or as set forth in an Award Agreement, if, on the last day of the Option Period, the Fair Market Value of a Share exceeds the exercise price, the Participant has not exercised the Option and the Option has not previously expired, such Option shall be deemed exercised by the Participant on such last day by means of a “net exercise” procedure described above. In all events of cashless or net exercise, any fractional Shares shall be settled in cash.
(e)
Compliance with Laws. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in no event shall the Participant be permitted to exercise an Option in a manner that the Administrator determines would violate the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or any other applicable law or the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission or the applicable rules and regulations of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Shares of the Company are listed or quoted.
8.
Stock Appreciation Rights (SARs).
(a)
Generally. Each SAR shall be subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan and in the applicable Award Agreement.
(b)
Exercise Price. The exercise or hurdle price per Share for each SAR shall be determined by the Administrator at the time of grant and such exercise or hurdle price shall not be less than 100% of the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of grant of such SAR. Any modification to the exercise or hurdle price of an outstanding SAR shall be subject to the prohibition on repricing set forth in Section 13(b).
(c)
Vesting, Exercise and Expiration. The Administrator shall determine the manner and timing of vesting, exercise and expiration of SARs. The period between the date of grant and the scheduled expiration of the SAR (the “SAR Period”) shall not exceed 10 years, unless the SAR Period would expire at a time when trading in the Shares is prohibited by the Company’s insider-trading policy or a Company-imposed “blackout period,” in which case, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, the SAR Period may be extended automatically until the 30th day following the expiration of such prohibition (so long as such extension shall not violate Section 409A of the Code) or the Administrator may provide for the automatic exercise of such SAR prior to the expiration of the SAR Period. The Administrator may accelerate the vesting and/or exercisability of any SAR, which acceleration shall not affect any other terms and conditions of such SAR.
(d)
Method of Exercise and Form of Payment. SARs may be exercised by delivery of written or electronic notice of exercise to the Company or its designee (including a third-party administrator) in accordance with the terms of the SAR and the Award Agreement, specifying the number of SARs to be exercised and the date on which such SARs were awarded. Upon the exercise of a SAR, the Company shall pay to the holder thereof an amount equal to the number of Shares subject to the SAR that are being exercised multiplied by the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value of one Share on the exercise date over the exercise or hurdle price, less an amount equal to any applicable U.S. federal, state and local income and employment taxes and non-U.S. income and employment taxes, social contributions and any other tax-related items required to be withheld. The Company shall pay such amount in cash, in Shares valued at Fair Market Value as determined on the date of exercise, or any combination thereof, as determined by the Administrator. Any fractional Shares shall be settled in cash. Notwithstanding the foregoing, unless otherwise determined by the Administrator or as set forth in the Award Agreement, if, on the last day of the SAR Period, the Fair Market Value exceeds the exercise or hurdle price, the Participant has not exercised the SAR and the SAR has previously expired, such SAR shall be deemed to have been exercised by the Participant on such last day and the Company shall make the appropriate payment therefor.
9.
Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units.
(a)
Generally. Each Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Unit shall be subject to the conditions set forth in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement. The Administrator shall establish restrictions applicable to Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, including the period over which the restrictions shall apply (the “Restricted Period”), and the time or times at which Restricted Stock or Restricted Stock Units shall become vested. The Administrator may accelerate the vesting and/or the lapse of any or all of the restrictions on Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units, which acceleration shall not affect any other terms and conditions of such Awards. No Share shall be issued at the time an Award of Restricted Stock Units is made, and the Company will not be required to set aside a fund for the payment of any such Award.
(b)
Stock Certificates; Escrow or Similar Arrangement. Upon the grant of Restricted Stock, the Administrator shall cause Share(s) to be registered in the name of the Participant, which may be evidenced in any manner the Administrator may deem appropriate, including in book-entry form subject to the Company’s directions or the issuance of a stock certificate registered in the name of the Participant. In such event, the Administrator may provide that such certificates shall be held by the Company or in escrow rather than delivered to the Participant pending vesting and release of restrictions, in which case the Administrator may require the Participant to execute and deliver to the Company or its designee (including third-party administrators) (i) an escrow agreement satisfactory to the Administrator, if applicable, and (ii) the appropriate stock power (endorsed in blank) with respect to the Restricted Stock.
(c)
Voting and Rights as a Stockholder. Subject to the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award Agreement, a Participant generally shall have the rights and privileges of a stockholder with respect to Awards of Restricted Stock, including, without limitation, the right to vote such Shares of Restricted Stock and the right to receive dividends.
Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator or in an Award Agreement, a Restricted Stock Unit shall not convey to the Participant the rights and privileges of a stockholder with respect to the Share subject to the Restricted Stock Unit, such as the right to vote or the right to receive dividends, unless and until a Share is issued to the Participant to settle the Restricted Stock Unit.
(d)
Restrictions; Forfeiture. Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units awarded to the Participant shall be subject to forfeiture until the expiration of the Restricted Period and the attainment of any other vesting criteria established by the Administrator, and shall be subject to the restrictions on transferability set forth in the Award Agreement. Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, in the event of any forfeiture, all rights of the Participant to such Restricted Stock (or as a stockholder with respect thereto) and to such Restricted Stock Units, as applicable, shall terminate without further action or obligation on the part of the Company. The Administrator shall have the authority to remove any or all of the restrictions on the Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units whenever it may determine that, by reason of changes in applicable laws or other changes in circumstances arising after the date of grant of the Restricted Stock Award or Restricted Stock Unit Award, such action is appropriate.
(e)
Delivery of Restricted Stock and Settlement of Restricted Stock Units.
(i)
Upon the expiration of the Restricted Period with respect to any Shares of Restricted Stock and the attainment of any other vesting criteria, the restrictions set forth in the applicable Award Agreement shall be of no further force or effect, except as set forth in the Award Agreement. If an escrow arrangement is used, upon such expiration the Company shall deliver to the Participant or such Participant’s beneficiary or Permitted Transferee (via book-entry notation or, if applicable, in stock certificate form) the Shares of Restricted Stock with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired (rounded down to the nearest full Share). To the extent provided in an Award Agreement, dividends, if any, that may have been withheld by the Company and attributable to the Restricted Stock shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or in Shares (or a combination of cash and Shares) having a Fair Market Value (on the date of distribution) equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on the Restricted Stock.
(ii)
Unless otherwise provided by the Administrator in an Award Agreement, upon the expiration of the Restricted Period and the attainment of any other vesting criteria established by the Administrator in the applicable Award Agreement, with respect to any outstanding Restricted Stock Units, the Company shall deliver to the Participant, or such Participant’s beneficiary (via book-entry notation or, if applicable, in stock certificate form), one Share (or other securities or other property, as applicable) for each such outstanding Restricted Stock Unit that has not then been forfeited and with respect to which the Restricted Period has expired and any other such vesting criteria are attained (“Released Unit”); provided, however, that the Administrator may elect to (A) pay cash or part cash and part Shares in lieu of delivering only Shares in respect of such Released Units or (B) defer the delivery of Shares (or cash or part Shares and part cash, as the case may be) beyond the expiration of the Restricted Period if such extension would not cause adverse tax consequences under Section 409A of the Code. If a cash payment is made in lieu of delivering Shares, the amount of such payment shall be equal to the Fair Market Value of the Shares as of the date on which the Shares would have otherwise been delivered to the Participant in respect of such Restricted Stock Units. To the extent provided in an Award Agreement, dividend equivalents, if any, that may have been withheld by the Company and attributable to the Restricted Stock Units shall be distributed to the Participant in cash or in Shares (or a combination of cash and Shares) having a Fair Market Value (on the date of distribution) equal to the amount of such dividends, upon the release of restrictions on the Restricted Stock Units.
(f)
Legends on Restricted Stock. Each certificate representing Shares of Restricted Stock awarded under the Plan, if any, shall bear as appropriate a legend substantially in the form of the following in addition to any other information the Company deems appropriate until the lapse of all restrictions with respect to such Shares:
TRANSFER OF THIS CERTIFICATE AND THE SHARES REPRESENTED HEREBY IS RESTRICTED PURSUANT TO THE TERMS OF THE EUROPEAN WAX CENTER, INC. 2025 INDUCEMENT PLAN AND A RESTRICTED STOCK AWARD AGREEMENT, DATED AS OF [ __________, 2025] BETWEEN EUROPEAN WAX CENTER, INC. AND [_________]. A COPY OF SUCH PLAN AND AWARD AGREEMENT IS ON FILE AT THE PRINCIPAL EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF EUROPEAN WAX CENTER, INC.
10.
Other Stock-Based Awards. The Administrator may issue unrestricted Shares, rights to receive future grants of Awards, or other Awards denominated in Shares (including performance shares or performance units), or Awards that provide for cash payments based in whole or in part on the value or future value of Shares (“Other Stock-Based Awards”) under the Plan to Eligible Persons, alone or in tandem with other Awards, in such amounts as the Administrator shall from time to time determine. Each Other Stock-Based Award shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which may include conditions including, without limitation, the payment by the Participant of the Fair Market Value of such Shares on the date of grant.
11.
Changes in Capital Structure and Similar Events. In the event of (a) any dividend (other than regular cash dividends) or other distribution (whether in the form of cash, Shares, other securities or other property), recapitalization, stock split, reverse stock split, reorganization, merger, amalgamation, consolidation, split-up, split-off, spin-off, combination, repurchase or exchange of Shares or other securities of the Company, issuance of warrants or other rights to acquire Shares or other securities of the Company, or other similar corporate transaction or event (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) that affects the Shares or (b) unusual or nonrecurring events (including, without limitation, a Change in Control) affecting the Company, any Affiliate, or the financial statements of the Company or any Affiliate, or changes in applicable rules, rulings, regulations or other requirements of any governmental body or securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service, accounting principles or law, such that in any case an adjustment is determined by the Administrator to be necessary or appropriate, then the Administrator shall, to the extent permitted under Section 409A of the Code, make any such adjustments in such manner as it may deem equitable, including, without limitation, any or all of the following:
(i)
adjusting any or all of (A) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) that may be delivered in respect of Awards or with respect to which Awards may be granted under the Plan and (B) the terms of any outstanding Award, including, without limitation, (1) the number of Shares or other securities of the Company (or number and kind of other securities or other property) subject to outstanding Awards or to which outstanding Awards relate, (2) the exercise or hurdle price with respect to any Award and/or (3) any applicable performance measures (including, without limitation, Performance Conditions and performance periods);
(ii)
providing for a substitution or assumption of Awards, accelerating the delivery, vesting and/or exercisability of, lapse of restrictions and/or other conditions on, or termination of, Awards or providing for a period of time (which shall not be required to be more than ten (10) days) for Participants to exercise outstanding Awards prior to the occurrence of such event (and any such Award not so exercised shall terminate or become no longer exercisable upon the occurrence of such event); and
(iii)
cancelling any one or more outstanding Awards and causing to be paid to the holders thereof, in cash, Shares, other securities or other property, or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards, if any, as determined by the Administrator (which, if applicable, may be based upon the price per Share received or to be received by other stockholders of the Company in such event), including, without limitation, in the case of an outstanding Option or SAR, a cash payment in an amount equal to the excess, if any, of the Fair Market Value (as of a date specified by the Administrator) of the Shares subject to such Option or SAR over the aggregate exercise or hurdle price of such Option or SAR, respectively (it being understood that, in such event, any Option or SAR having a per Share exercise or hurdle price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value (as of the date specified by the Administrator) of a Share subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor);
provided, however, that the Administrator shall make an equitable or proportionate adjustment to outstanding Awards to reflect any “equity restructuring” (within the meaning of the Financial Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718 (or any successor pronouncement thereto)). Except as otherwise determined by the Administrator, any adjustments under this Section 11 shall be made in a manner that does not adversely affect the exemption provided pursuant to Rule 16b-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act. Any such adjustment hereunder, upon notice, shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes. In anticipation of the occurrence of any event listed in the first sentence of this Section 11, for reasons of administrative convenience, the Administrator in its sole discretion may refuse to permit the exercise of any Award or as it otherwise may determine during a period of up to 30 days prior to, and/or up to 30 days after, the anticipated occurrence of any such event.
12.
Effect of Termination of Service or a Change in Control on Awards.
(a)
Termination. To the extent permitted under Section 409A of the Code, the Administrator may provide, by rule or regulation or in any applicable Award Agreement, or may determine in any individual case, the circumstances in which, and to the extent to which, an Award may be exercised, settled, vested, paid or forfeited in the event of the Participant’s termination of service prior to the end of a performance period or vesting, exercise or settlement of such Award.
(b)
Change in Control. Except to the extent otherwise provided in an Award Agreement, or any applicable employment, change-in-control, severance or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or an Affiliate, in the event of a Change in Control, notwithstanding any provision of the Plan to the contrary:
(i)
If the acquirer or successor company in such Change in Control has agreed to provide for the substitution, assumption, exchange or other continuation of Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, then, if the Participant’s employment with or service to the Company or an Affiliate is terminated by the Company or Affiliate without Cause (and other than due to death or Disability) on or within 24 months following a Change in Control, then unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all Options and SARs held by such Participant shall become immediately exercisable with respect to 100% of the shares subject to such Options and SARs, and that the Restricted Period (and any other conditions) shall expire immediately with respect to 100% of the shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units and any other Awards held by such Participant (including a waiver of any applicable Performance Conditions); provided that if the vesting or exercisability of any Award would otherwise be subject to the achievement of Performance Conditions, the portion of such Award that shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable shall be based on the assumed achievement of actual or target performance as determined by the Administrator.
(ii)
If the acquirer or successor company in such Change in Control has not agreed to provide for the substitution, assumption, exchange or other continuation of Awards granted pursuant to the Plan, then unless otherwise provided by the Administrator, all Options and SARs held by such Participant shall become immediately exercisable with respect to 100% of the shares subject to such Options and SARs, and the Restricted Period (and any other conditions) shall expire immediately with respect to 100% of the shares of Restricted Stock and Restricted Stock Units and any other Awards held by such Participant (including a waiver of any applicable Performance Conditions); provided that if the vesting or exercisability of any Award would otherwise be subject to the achievement of Performance Conditions, the portion of such Award that shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable shall be based on the assumed achievement of actual or target performance as determined by the Administrator.
(iii)
In addition, the Administrator may upon at least ten (10) days’ advance notice to the affected Participants, cancel any outstanding Award and pay to the holders thereof, in cash, securities or other property (including of the acquiring or successor company), or any combination thereof, the value of such Awards based upon the price per Share received or to be received by other stockholders of the Company in the event (it being understood that any Option or SAR having a per-share exercise or hurdle price equal to, or in excess of, the Fair Market Value (as of the date specified by the Administrator) of a Share subject thereto may be canceled and terminated without any payment or consideration therefor). Notwithstanding the above, the Administrator shall exercise such discretion over the timing of settlement of any Award subject to Code Section 409A at the time such Award is granted.
To the extent practicable, the provisions of this Section 12(b) shall occur in a manner and at a time that allows affected Participants the ability to participate in the Change in Control transaction with respect to the Shares subject to their Awards.
13.
Amendments and Termination.
(a)
Amendment and Termination of the Plan. The Board may amend, alter, suspend, discontinue or terminate the Plan or any portion thereof at any time; provided that no such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination shall be made without stockholder approval if such approval is necessary to comply with any tax or regulatory requirement applicable to the Plan (including, without limitation, as necessary to comply with any applicable rules or requirements of any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Shares may be listed or quoted); provided, further, that any such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant or any holder or beneficiary of any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant, holder or beneficiary, unless the Administrator determines that such amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance or termination is either required or advisable in order for the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any applicable law or regulation. No Awards may be granted or awarded during any period of suspension, after termination of the Plan.
(b)
Amendment of Award Agreements.
The Administrator may, to the extent not inconsistent with the terms of any applicable Award Agreement or the Plan, waive any conditions or rights under, amend any terms of, or alter, suspend, discontinue, cancel or terminate, any Award theretofore granted or the associated Award Agreement, prospectively or retroactively (including after the Participant’s termination of employment or service with the Company); provided that any such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination that would materially and adversely affect the rights of any Participant with respect to any Award theretofore granted shall not to that extent be effective without the consent of the affected Participant unless the Administrator determines that such waiver, amendment, alteration, suspension, discontinuance, cancellation or termination is either required or advisable in order for the Company, the Plan or the Award to satisfy any applicable law or regulation; provided, further, that except as otherwise permitted under Section 11 of the Plan, if (i) the Administrator reduces the exercise or hurdle price of any Option or of any SAR, (ii) the Administrator cancels any outstanding Option or SAR and replaces it with a new Option or SAR (with a lower exercise or hurdle price, as the case may be) or other Award or cash in a manner that would either (A) be reportable on the Company’s proxy statement or Form 10-K (if applicable) as Options that have been “repriced” (as such term is used in Item 402 of Regulation S-K promulgated under the Exchange Act) or (B) result in any “repricing” for financial statement reporting purposes (or otherwise cause the Award to fail to qualify for equity accounting treatment), (iii) take any other action that is considered a “repricing” for purposes of the stockholder approval rules of the applicable securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Share is listed or quoted and/or (iv) cancel any outstanding Option or SAR that has a per Share exercise or hurdle price (as applicable) at or above the Fair Market Value of a Share on the date of cancellation, and pay any consideration to the holder thereof, whether in cash, securities or other property, or any combination thereof, then, in the case of the immediately preceding clauses (i) through (iv), any such action shall not be effective without stockholder approval.
(a)
Award Agreements; Other Agreements. Each Award under the Plan shall be evidenced by an Award Agreement, which shall be delivered (whether in written or electronic form) to the Participant and shall specify the terms and conditions of the Award and any rules applicable thereto. In the event of any conflict between the terms of the Plan and any Award Agreement or employment, change-in-control, severance or other agreement in effect with the Participant, the terms of the Plan shall control.
(i)
Each Award shall be exercisable only by the Participant during the Participant’s lifetime or, if permissible under applicable law or the Plan, by the Participant’s legal guardian or representative or beneficiary or Permitted Transferee. No Award may be assigned, alienated, pledged, attached, sold or otherwise transferred or encumbered by the Participant other than by will or by the laws of descent and distribution or as set forth below in clause (ii), and any such purported assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance shall be void and unenforceable against the Company or an Affiliate; provided that the designation of a beneficiary shall not constitute an assignment, alienation, pledge, attachment, sale, transfer or encumbrance.
(ii)
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Administrator may permit Awards to be transferred by the Participant, without consideration, subject to such rules as the Administrator may adopt, to (A) any person who is a “family member” of the Participant, as such term is used in the instructions to Form S-8 under the Securities Act or any successor form of registration statements promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (collectively, the “Immediate Family Members”); (B) a trust solely for the benefit of the Participant or the Participant’s Immediate Family Members; (C) a partnership or limited liability company whose only partners or stockholders are the Participant and the Participant’s Immediate Family Members; or (D) any other transferee as may be approved either (1) by the Board or the Administrator or (2) as provided in the applicable Award Agreement (each transferee described in clause (A), (B), (C) or (D) above is hereinafter referred to as a “Permitted Transferee”); provided that the Participant gives the Administrator or its delegate advance written notice describing the terms and conditions of the proposed transfer and the Administrator or its delegate notifies the Participant in writing that such a transfer would comply with the requirements of the Plan.
(iii)
The terms of any Award transferred in accordance with the immediately preceding subsection shall apply to the Permitted Transferee, and any reference in the Plan, or in any applicable Award Agreement, to the Participant shall be deemed to refer to the Permitted Transferee, except that, unless otherwise provided by the Administrator: (A) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to transfer any Award, other than by will or the laws of descent and distribution; (B) Permitted Transferees shall not be entitled to exercise any transferred Option unless there shall be in effect a registration statement on an appropriate form covering the Shares to be acquired pursuant to the exercise of such Option if the Administrator determines, consistent with any applicable Award Agreement, that such a registration statement is necessary or appropriate; (C) the Administrator or the Company shall not be required to provide any notice to a Permitted Transferee, whether or not such notice is or would otherwise have been required to be given to the Participant under the Plan or otherwise; (D) the consequences of the termination of the Participant’s employment by, or services to, the Company or an Affiliate under the terms of the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement shall continue to be applied with respect to the transferred Award, including, without limitation, that an Option shall be exercisable by the Permitted Transferee only to the extent, and for the periods, specified in the Plan and the applicable Award Agreement; and (E) any non-competition, non-solicitation, non-disparagement, non-disclosure or other restrictive covenants contained in any Award Agreement or other agreement between the Participant and the Company or any Affiliate shall continue to apply to the Participant.
(c)
Dividends and Dividend Equivalents. The Administrator shall provide that dividend equivalents either shall accrue and be paid or distributed upon the vesting of an Award or shall be deemed to have been reinvested in additional Shares, Awards, or other investment vehicles and subject to such restrictions on transferability and risks of forfeiture as the Administrator may specify.
(d)
No Fractional Shares. No fractional Shares shall be issued or delivered pursuant to the Plan or an Award, and the Administrator shall determine whether cash or other securities shall be paid or transferred in lieu of any fractional Shares, or whether such fractional Shares or any rights thereto shall be cancelled, terminated or otherwise eliminated.
(i)
The Participant shall be required to pay to the Company or any Affiliate, and the Company or any Affiliate shall have the right (but not the obligation) and is hereby authorized to withhold, from any cash, Shares, other securities or other property deliverable under any Award or from any compensation or other amounts owing to the Participant, the amount (in cash, Shares, other securities or other property) of any required withholding taxes (up to the maximum permissible withholding amounts) in respect of an Award, its exercise, or any payment or transfer under an Award or under the Plan and to take such other action that the Administrator or the Company deems necessary to satisfy all obligations for the payment of such withholding taxes.
(ii)
Without limiting the generality of paragraph (i) above, the Administrator may permit the Participant to satisfy, in whole or in part, the foregoing withholding liability by (A) payment in cash, (B) the delivery of Shares (which Shares are not subject to any pledge or other security interest) owned by the Participant having a Fair Market Value on such date equal to such withholding liability or (C) having the Company withhold from the number of Shares otherwise issuable or deliverable pursuant to the exercise or settlement of the Award a number of Shares with a Fair Market Value on such date equal to such withholding liability.
In addition, subject to any requirements of applicable law, the Participant may also satisfy the tax withholding obligations by other methods, including selling Shares that would otherwise be available for delivery; provided that the Board or the Administrator has specifically approved such payment method in advance.
(f)
No Claim to Awards; No Rights to Continued Employment or Engagement. No employee providing service to the Company or an Affiliate, or other person shall have any claim or right to be granted an Award under the Plan. There is no obligation for uniformity of treatment of Participants or holders or beneficiaries of Awards. The terms and conditions of Awards and the Administrator’s determinations and interpretations with respect thereto need not be the same with respect to each Participant and may be made selectively among Participants, whether or not such Participants are similarly situated. Neither the Plan nor any action taken hereunder shall be construed as giving any Participant any right to be retained in the employ or service of the Company or an Affiliate, or to continue in the employ or the service of the Company or an Affiliate.
(g)
International Participants. With respect to Participants who reside or work outside of the United States or are subject to non-U.S. legal restrictions or regulations, the Administrator may amend the terms of the Plan or appendices thereto, or outstanding Awards, with respect to such Participants, in order to conform such terms with or accommodate the requirements of local laws, procedures or practices or to obtain more favorable tax or other treatment for the Participant, the Company or its Affiliates. Without limiting the generality of this subsection, the Administrator is specifically authorized to adopt rules, procedures and sub-plans with provisions that limit or modify rights on death, disability, retirement or other terminations of employment, available methods of exercise or settlement of an Award, payment of income, social insurance contributions or payroll taxes, withholding procedures and handling of any stock certificates or other indicia of ownership that vary with local requirements. The Administrator may also adopt rules, procedures or sub-plans applicable to particular Affiliates or locations.
(h)
Beneficiary Designation. The Participant’s beneficiary shall be the Participant’s spouse (or domestic partner if such status is recognized by the Company and in such jurisdiction) or, if the Participant is otherwise unmarried at the time of death, the Participant’s estate, except to the extent that a different beneficiary is designated in accordance with procedures that may be established by the Administrator from time to time for such purpose. Notwithstanding the foregoing, in the absence of a beneficiary validly designated under such Administrator-established procedures and/or applicable law who is living (or in existence) at the time of death of a Participant residing or working outside the United States, any required distribution under the Plan shall be made to the executor or administrator of the estate of the Participant, or to such other individual as may be prescribed by applicable law.
(i)
Termination of Employment or Service. The Administrator, in its sole discretion, shall determine the effect of all matters and questions related to the termination of employment of or service of a Participant. Unless determined otherwise by the Administrator: (i) neither a temporary absence from employment or service due to illness, vacation or leave of absence (including, without limitation, a call to active duty for military service through a Reserve or National Guard unit) nor a transfer from employment or service with the Company to employment or service with an Affiliate (or vice versa) shall be considered a termination of employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate; and (ii) if the Participant’s employment with the Company or its Affiliates terminates, but such Participant continues to provide services with such Company or such Affiliate in a non-employee capacity (including as a non-employee Director) (or vice versa), such change in status shall not be considered a termination of employment or service with the Company or an Affiliate for purposes of the Plan.
(j)
No Rights as a Stockholder. Except as otherwise specifically provided in the Plan or any Award Agreement, no person shall be entitled to the privileges of ownership in respect of Shares that are subject to Awards hereunder until such Shares have been issued or delivered to that person.
(k)
Government and Other Regulations.
(i)
Nothing in the Plan shall be deemed to authorize the Administrator or Board or any members thereof to take any action contrary to applicable law or regulation, or rules of the NASDAQ or any other securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service on which the Shares are listed or quoted.
(ii)
The obligation of the Company to settle Awards in Shares or other consideration shall be subject to all applicable laws, rules and regulations, and to such approvals by governmental agencies as may be required. Notwithstanding any terms or conditions of any Award to the contrary, the Company shall be under no obligation to offer to sell or to sell, and shall be prohibited from offering to sell or selling, any Shares pursuant to an Award unless such Shares have been properly registered for sale pursuant to the Securities Act with the Securities and Exchange Commission or unless the Company has received an opinion of counsel, satisfactory to the Company, that such Shares may be offered for sale or sold without such registration pursuant to and in compliance with the terms of an available exemption. The Company shall be under no obligation to register for sale under the Securities Act any of the Shares to be offered for sale or sold under the Plan. The Administrator shall have the authority to provide that all Shares or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan shall be subject to such stop-transfer orders and other restrictions as the Administrator may deem advisable under the Plan, the applicable Award Agreement, U.S. federal securities laws, or the rules, regulations and other requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, any securities exchange or inter-dealer quotation service upon which such Shares or other securities of the Company are then listed or quoted and any other applicable federal, state, local or non-U.S. laws, rules, regulations and other requirements, and, without limiting the generality of Section 9 of the Plan, the Administrator may cause a legend or legends to be put on any such certificates of Shares or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan to make appropriate reference to such restrictions or may cause such Shares or other securities of the Company or any Affiliate delivered under the Plan in book-entry form to be held subject to the Company’s instructions or subject to appropriate stop-transfer orders. Notwithstanding any provision in the Plan to the contrary, the Administrator reserves the right to add any additional terms or provisions to any Award granted under the Plan that it in its sole discretion deems necessary or advisable in order that such Award complies with the legal requirements of any governmental entity to whose jurisdiction the Award is subject.
(iii)
The Administrator may cancel an Award or any portion thereof if it determines that legal or contractual restrictions and/or blockage and/or other market considerations would make the Company’s acquisition of Shares from the public markets, the Company’s issuance of Shares to the Participant, the Participant’s acquisition of Shares from the Company and/or the Participant’s sale of Shares to the public markets illegal, impracticable or inadvisable. If the Administrator determines to cancel all or any portion of an Award in accordance with the foregoing, unless prevented by applicable laws, the Company shall pay to the Participant an amount equal to the excess of (A) the aggregate Fair Market Value of the Shares subject to such Award or portion thereof canceled (determined as of the applicable exercise date, or the date that the Shares would have been vested or delivered, as applicable), over (B) the aggregate exercise or hurdle price (in the case of an Option or SAR) or any amount payable as a condition of delivery of Shares (in the case of any other Award). Such amount shall be delivered to the Participant as soon as practicable following the cancellation of such Award or portion thereof.
(l)
Payments to Persons Other Than Participants. If the Administrator shall find that any person to whom any amount is payable under the Plan is unable to care for such person’s affairs because of illness or accident, or is a minor, or has died, then any payment due to such person or such person’s estate (unless a prior claim therefor has been made by a duly appointed legal representative or a beneficiary designation form has been filed with the Company) may, if the Administrator so directs the Company, be paid to such person’s spouse, child or relative, or an institution maintaining or having custody of such person, or any other person deemed by the Administrator to be a proper recipient on behalf of such person otherwise entitled to payment.
Any such payment shall be a complete discharge of the liability of the Administrator and the Company therefor.
(m)
Nonexclusivity of the Plan. Neither the adoption of the Plan by the Board nor the submission of the Plan to the stockholders of the Company for approval shall be construed as creating any limitations on the power of the Board to adopt such other incentive arrangements as it may deem desirable, including, without limitation, the granting of stock options or awards otherwise than under the Plan, and such arrangements may be either applicable generally or only in specific cases.
(n)
No Trust or Fund Created. Neither the Plan nor any Award shall create or be construed to create a trust or separate fund of any kind or a fiduciary relationship between the Company or any Affiliate, on the one hand, and the Participant or other person or entity, on the other hand. No provision of the Plan or any Award shall require the Company, for the purpose of satisfying any obligations under the Plan, to purchase assets or place any assets in a trust or other entity to which contributions are made or to otherwise segregate any assets, nor shall the Company maintain separate bank accounts, books, records or other evidence of the existence of a segregated or separately maintained or administered fund for such purposes. Participants shall have no rights under the Plan other than as unsecured general creditors of the Company.
(o)
Reliance on Reports. Each member of the Administrator and each member of the Board (and each such member’s respective designees) shall be fully justified in acting or failing to act, as the case may be, and shall not be liable for having so acted or failed to act in good faith, in reliance upon any report made by the independent, registered public accounting firm of the Company and its Affiliates and/or any other information furnished in connection with the Plan by any agent of the Company or the Administrator or the Board, other than such member or designee.
(p)
Relationship to Other Benefits. No payment under the Plan shall be taken into account in determining any benefits under any pension, retirement, profit-sharing, group insurance or other benefit plan of the Company except as otherwise specifically provided in such other plan.
(q)
Governing Law. The Plan shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Delaware, without regard to principles of conflicts of laws thereof, or principles of conflicts of laws of any other jurisdiction that could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of Delaware.
(r)
Severability. If any provision of the Plan or any Award or Award Agreement is or becomes or is deemed to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable in any jurisdiction or as to any person or entity or Award, or would disqualify the Plan or any Award under any law deemed applicable by the Administrator, such provision shall be construed or deemed amended to conform to the applicable laws, or, if it cannot be construed or deemed amended without, in the determination of the Administrator, materially altering the intent of the Plan or the Award, such provision shall be construed or deemed stricken as to such jurisdiction, person or entity or Award, and the remainder of the Plan and any such Award shall remain in full force and effect.
(s)
Obligations Binding on Successors. The obligations of the Company under the Plan shall be binding upon any successor corporation or organization resulting from the merger, consolidation or other reorganization of the Company, or upon any successor corporation or organization succeeding to all or substantially all of the assets and business of the Company.
(t)
Section 409A of the Code.
(i)
It is intended that the Plan comply with Section 409A of the Code, and all provisions of the Plan shall be construed and interpreted in a manner consistent with the requirements for avoiding taxes or penalties under Section 409A of the Code. Each Participant is solely responsible and liable for the satisfaction of all taxes and penalties that may be imposed on or in respect of such Participant in connection with the Plan or any other plan maintained by the Company, including any taxes and penalties under Section 409A of the Code, and neither the Company nor any Affiliate shall have any obligation to indemnify or otherwise hold such Participant or any beneficiary harmless from any or all of such taxes or penalties. With respect to any Award that is considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code, references in the Plan to “termination of employment” (and substantially similar phrases) shall mean “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code. For purposes of Section 409A of the Code, each of the payments that may be made in respect of any Award granted under the Plan is designated as a separate payment.
(ii)
Notwithstanding anything in the Plan to the contrary, if the Participant is a “specified employee” within the meaning of Section 409A(a)(2)(B)(i) of the Code, no payments or deliveries in respect of any Awards that are “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code shall be made to such Participant prior to the date that is six months after the date of such Participant’s “separation from service” within the meaning of Section 409A of the Code or, if earlier, the Participant’s date of death. All such delayed payments or deliveries will be paid or delivered (without interest) in a single lump sum on the earliest date permitted under Section 409A of the Code that is also a business day.
(iii)
In the event that the timing of payments in respect of any Award that would otherwise be considered “deferred compensation” subject to Section 409A of the Code would be accelerated upon the occurrence of (A) a Change in Control, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the event giving rise to the Change in Control satisfies the definition of a change in the ownership or effective control of a corporation, or a change in the ownership of a substantial portion of the assets of a corporation pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and any Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder, or (B) a Disability, no such acceleration shall be permitted unless the Disability also satisfies the definition of “disability” pursuant to Section 409A of the Code and any Treasury Regulations promulgated thereunder.
(u)
Clawback/Forfeiture. The Administrator shall have full authority to implement any policies and procedures necessary to comply with Section 10D of the Exchange Act and any rules promulgated thereunder and any other regulatory regimes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary contained herein, the Administrator may, to the extent permitted by applicable law and stock exchange rules or by any applicable Company policy or arrangement, and shall, to the extent required, cancel or require reimbursement of any Awards granted to the Participant or any Shares issued or cash received upon vesting, exercise or settlement of any such Awards or sale of Shares underlying such Awards. By accepting an Award, the Participant agrees that the Participant is subject to any clawback policies of the Company in effect from time to time including, but not limited to, the Company’s Policy for Recoupment of Incentive Compensation, as it may be amended from time to time.
(v)
No Representations or Covenants with Respect to Tax Qualification. Although the Company may endeavor to (i) qualify an Award for favorable U.S. or non-U.S. tax treatment or (ii) avoid adverse tax treatment, the Company makes no representation to that effect and expressly disavows any covenant to maintain favorable or avoid unfavorable tax treatment. The Company shall be unconstrained in its corporate activities without regard to the potential negative tax impact on holders of Awards under the Plan.
(w)
No Interference. The existence of the Plan, any Award Agreement and the Awards granted hereunder shall not affect or restrict in any way the right or power of the Company, the Board, the Administrator, the Committee, or the stockholders of the Company to make or authorize any adjustment, recapitalization, reorganization or other change in the Company’s capital structure or its business, any merger or consolidation of the Company, any issue of stock or of options, warrants, or rights to purchase stock or of bonds, debentures, or preferred or prior preference stocks whose rights are superior to or affect the Shares or the rights thereof or that are convertible into or exchangeable for Shares, or the dissolution or liquidation of the Company or any Affiliate, or any sale or transfer of all or any part of their assets or business, or any other corporate act or proceeding, whether of a similar character or otherwise.
(x)
Expenses; Titles and Headings. The expenses of administering the Plan shall be borne by the Company and its Affiliates. The titles and headings of the sections in the Plan are for convenience of reference only, and, in the event of any conflict, the text of the Plan, rather than such titles or headings, shall control.
(y)
Whistleblower Acknowledgments. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, nothing in this Plan or any Award Agreement will (i) prohibit a Participant from making reports of possible violations of federal law or regulation to any governmental agency or entity in accordance with the provisions of and rules promulgated under Section 21F of the Exchange Act or Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or of any other whistleblower protection provisions of federal law or regulation, or (ii) require prior approval by the Company or any of its Affiliates of any reporting described in clause (i).
(z)
Restrictive Covenants. The Administrator may impose restrictions on any Award with respect to non-competition, non-solicitation, confidentiality and other restrictive covenants as it deems necessary or appropriate in its sole discretion.
* * *
As adopted by the Board of Directors of the Company on March 21, 2025.
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